Terriers Picked to Repeat as Hockey East Regular-Season Champions
September 12, 2023 | Men's Ice Hockey
BOSTON - The Boston University men's ice hockey team was selected first in the Hockey East Coaches' Preseason Poll, as announced on Tuesday during the league's media day at the TD Garden.
BU, the reigning Hockey East regular-season and tournament champions, received 109 points and nine of 11 first-place votes. Boston College was second with 99 points, followed by Merrimack (81), Northeastern (75), UConn (68), Providence (65), UMass Lowell (62), Massachusetts (54), Maine (52), New Hampshire (30), and Vermont (20). BU last repeated as the league's regular-season champion in 1997-98, capping a run of five straight first-place finishes.
Thirteen newcomers, including four transfers, will join 15 returning letter winners from last year's team that advanced to the program's 23rd Frozen Four. Six of the Terriers' top 10 point producers from last season are back, including First Team All-American and reigning Hockey East Rookie of the Year Lane Hutson, who led the league in both points (48) and assists (33). BU finished 29-11-0 under first-year head coach Jay Pandolfo, who was named the 2023 Hockey East Coach of the Year.
The Terriers will begin the 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 7 when they travel to Waltham to face Bentley.
| 2023-24 Hockey East Men's Preseason Coaches' Poll | ||
| Rank | Team (1st Place Votes) | Pts. |
| 1. | Boston University (9) | 109 |
| 2. | Boston College (2) | 99 |
| 3. | Merrimack | 81 |
| 4. | Northeastern | 75 |
| 5. | UConn | 68 |
| 6. | Providence | 65 |
| 7. | UMass Lowell | 62 |
| 8. | Massachusetts | 54 |
| 9. | Maine | 52 |
| 10. | New Hampshire | 30 |
| 11. | Vermont | 20 |
